(INDIANAPOLIS) - A man convicted of killing a 13-year-old girl in 1986 will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.

Paul Reese Sr. was sentenced Wednesday to 60 years in prison for the death of Dawn Stuard.

Reese was charged with murder, rape and criminal confinement in 1986 but those charges were dropped due to problems with witnesses and evidence. The case turned cold, but in 2011, investigators said new DNA evidence led them to Reese.

Authorities said Stuard was a family friend of the Reese family. On March 16, 1986, she was last seen at the Reese's home in the Little Flower neighborhood. Her body was later discovered in the Pogue's Run area near Emerson Avenue and I-70.

Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry credited IMPD detectives for staying on the case and charging Reese.

"Not only did Dawn have her day in court, but the man who killed her will likely die in prison for his crime. While we will never be able to bring Dawn back to live among us, her legacy lives on in the work of those law enforcement officers who are committed to giving every victim of unsolved crimes their day in court," said Curry in a statement.

The court said they expect an appeal by Reese, who is already in prison for another crime.